Kirsten Nafziger Moore, a 1993 graduate of EMU with a degree in liberal arts and minors in English and art, worked 13 years for her alma mater as a graphic designer and marketing director. For her many community involvements, she will be honored with Eastern Mennonite School’s Community Engagement Award this year. Kirsten will speak at EMS chapel and will be honored with other alumni honorees during during EMS’s Oct. 18-20. This article is republished from the EMS website with permission.
Not even a surprise downpour on an outdoor dinner party can dampen the enthusiasm of Kirsten Nafziger Moore, recipient of the Community Engagement Award for Eastern Mennonite School 2019.
That dinner鈥揳 flora and fauna themed event with native and foraged foods鈥搕ook place on 834 private acres in George Washington National Forest in late July with the . Moore and her business partner host the themed dinners in unique venues about once a month; only 30 guests from a list of more than 1,500 hopefuls are lucky enough to attend by being the first to respond to Facebook announcements.
鈥淚t didn鈥檛 go at all as we had planned, but in the end it was what Sub Rosa was always meant to be: a gathering of beautiful people around a dinner table,鈥� she wrote in a about the event.
It鈥檚 that kind of attitude that makes Moore an obvious choice for EMS鈥檚 first Community Engagement Award. She has used her gifts in food, writing, art, design, and business for nearly three decades to bring people together.
鈥淔ood breaks down barriers,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou engage in different ways and ignore differences when you鈥檙e sharing a meal in a beautiful place.鈥�
New business in the works
Sub Rosa Supper Club 鈥� featured in the June 2019 issue of Virginia Living magazine 鈥� is just a side gig for Moore.
Her connections and respect throughout the community set her up to launch a new venture in downtown Harrisonburg, Magpie, opening early 2020. Approached by local developers to join their efforts to revitalize property at the intersection of Liberty and Gay Streets, Moore decided to dive in.
The two-floor cement block former Big L Tire flatiron building offers just the space for Moore to do her magic. The lower level will house a breakfast and lunch 鈥渕odern interpretation of the corner diner鈥� along with an in-house bakery making artisanal bread, pastries and pies.
Magpie will feature simple, locally-sourced breakfasts, a creative lunch menu and weekend brunches. 鈥淚 want it to be a place where people meet and are comfortable no matter what. I want to create an environment where both employees and customers want to come every day,鈥� Moore says.
The second floor will house The Perch at Magpie, a new location and brand for , which Moore launched at 128 W. Bruce Street in downtown Harrisonburg. Opened 2015, the membership-based workspace provides a professional office space for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and remote workers encouraging connection and collaboration for people who are typically working in isolated environments like a home office or bouncing between coffee shops. The Hub was the winner of the Outstanding Business award by Virginia Main Street in 2016.
Magpie has turned into 鈥渁 complex social animal,鈥� laughs Moore as she summarizes all of the moving parts. Not only will it be a beautiful workspace and restaurant, but it can also be used for gatherings and events of various sizes鈥揻rom workshops and seminars to art openings to larger evening events. An on-site coffee roaster tenant will 鈥渒eep the whole place caffeinated,鈥� she says. While the diner will close at 3 each afternoon, the bakery doors will stay open longer for customers to grab coffee and pastries and even take home organic roasted chicken, bread and salads so families can be home having dinner together. 鈥淚 also want to be home having dinner with my family and I think that鈥檚 an important piece of connection that we want to encourage.鈥�
Moore credits family roots for her love of sharing food. Her mother, Helen Steury Nafziger, threw parties when her father, Ken J. Nafziger, long-time music professor at 草莓社区, brought musicians to the house. 鈥淪he had a habit of making 10 times more food than she needed, but what that showed guests was that there was plenty and all were welcome.鈥� Moore also has fond memories of family trips to Ohio with an abundance of simple, fresh food from the garden at her grandparents鈥� farm table.
鈥淚 love planning Sub Rosa dinners鈥� the progression of a menu, learning a cuisine or a new technique, sourcing ingredients and, ultimately, seeing people enjoy it together,鈥� she reflects. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a fine line between pushing people鈥檚 boundaries and making them completely comfortable at the same time.鈥� She hopes the new Magpie space will also encourage guests to be 鈥渁 little adventurous without really realizing it.鈥�
In addition to Sub Rosa and The Hub, Moore鈥檚 professional and community engagements include:
鈥� Designer and marketing team leader at EMU
鈥� Founding member, Woodland Montessori School
鈥� Freelance design and marketing consultation
鈥� Founder of Taste, a farm-to-table catering company
鈥� Founder of Rocktown Bites food tours
鈥� Business development and marketing for Blue Ridge Architects (now Blue Line, owned by Randy Seitz 鈥�82)
鈥� Author of Rocktown Food: Stories from Virginia鈥檚 First Culinary District about Harrisonburg becoming the first (and only) Virginia Culinary District in 2014
鈥� Contributor, Shen Valley Magazine
鈥� Founder of The Project Studio, a creative and strategic services firm
鈥� Board of directors for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance and Shenandoah Valley Technology Council
EMS Community Engagement Award
This is the first year EMS has honored an alumnus with the Community Engagement Award. 鈥淲e want to recognize alumni who are doing exactly what Kirsten models, using their gifts and talents to build community,鈥� says Paul Leaman, head of school.
鈥溾�楥ommunity鈥� is a word we use a lot here,鈥� Leaman continues. 鈥淲e are deliberate about creating a culture of connection and care. Our alumni often stay in touch with one another long-term. We are proud they are going out and doing the same in churches, neighborhoods, workplaces and other settings as well.鈥�